Ogun, Osun, Oyo recruit more Amotekun personnel to flush out bandits in Southwest forests

Ogun, Osun and Oyo states have begun moves to flush out bandits operating in forests in the Southwestern Nigeria as they recruit no fewer than 2000 Amotekun Corps personnel.

According to PUNCH report, more men would soon be recruited to strengthen the South-West Security Network and enhance its operations against bandits, kidnappers and other hoodlums hibernating in South-West forests and reserves.

To intensify security,  the Ondo State Amotekun Corps Commander, Adetunji Adeleye, explained that “Amotekun rangers” had been deployed in the forests to evict the bandits.

Adeleye said the Amotekun rangers were in the forest to flush out the bandits who may want to use the forests as hideouts, saying no room for bandits in the State.

He, however, sought more support for the corps in terms of weapons and other security hardware.

The Ogun Amotekun Corps Commander, Brig-Gen. Alade Adedigba (retd.), disclosed that his men, numbering over 1,000, had been directed to move against bandits occupying forests in the state.

Adedigba announced plans to recruit more men, adding that Governor Dapo Abiodun has also given a directive that an additional 1,000 operatives should be recruited to further boost the efficiency of the security outfit.

The Corps Commander in Osun, Adekunle Omoyele, said the organisation would soon recruit about 1,000 new operatives in addition to the 320 men operating across the state.

Omoyele, who commended the state government for empowering Amotekun to prosecute offenders, said the corps personnel should be allowed to bear sophisticated weapons since those criminals they would be contending with are also carrying dangerous arms.

Also, Commandant, Oyo Amotekun, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (retd.), said the state, last October, recruited, trained and deployed 480 forest rangers.

He said the forest rangers had been trained and deployed to 25 local government areas of the state with a specific task to address kidnapping, banditry and other illegal activities in forests across the state.

Olayinka said Amotekun, in conjunction with Community-Based Security Oriented Groups, had stepped up border patrols.

He added that the community-based groups, traditional and opinion leaders have been tasked with surveillance and intelligence-gathering tasks, particularly those around settlements and the state’s forests.

Commenting on the need for sophisticated arms by the corps, the Ekiti commander of the corps, Brig. Gen. Olu Adewa (retd), noted, “It is part of the Act which established the Amotekun that they can bear light arms. So, from the outset, the corps has always operated that way.”

Adewa revealed plans to recruit more personnel for the security outfit of the state government.

He said, “They (state government) said they would recruit. We are waiting, we are eager, we are on it. This will be made public.”

Credit: The Punch

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